Participated in the GOLF MOOSE/VIVID Private Club Event (my first) @ Dove Canyon on Monday and was happy I elected to do so. As is always the case when Johnny is involved, it was a well-organized affa... Continue »

Participated in the GOLF MOOSE/VIVID Private Club Event (my first) @ Dove Canyon on Monday and was happy I elected to do so. As is always the case when Johnny is involved, it was a well-organized affair with the club staff providing a welcome, hospitable atmosphere. A tip of the hat to everyone who made this day possible. And I was blessed with great company…having been paired up with Johnny, Ron, and Mark…which elevated my level of enjoyment. Got to witness a number of high-quality shots from the boys as well. And much appreciation for Mark’s guidance throughout the day since this was my initial visit to the golf course. Expansive, warm, and inviting clubhouse that’s conducive to relaxing with a drink and trading stories following a day on the course. Large practice range facility with a short-game area off to the side provides the opportunity to work on all phases of one’s game. Although we were relegated to hitting off mats, they were in good shape as I didn’t notice any signs of excess wear…and good quality range balls I might add. Practice putting green overlooks the picturesque finishing hole and was pretty close to mirroring what I encountered on the course. As for the course itself, I’d rank it as one of the more demanding layouts I’ve played. Typical Nicklaus design: it demands precise iron play in order to score well. Having the ability to hit high approach shots is a huge plus…particularly when the pins are tucked in the far reaches of these devilish greens, many of which are on the narrow/shallow side and run diagonally to the fairway. And Jack’s bunkering has them well-protected. For a guy who was never known for his sand play, I get the impression this is how he’s chosen to exact his revenge. While I personally feel some of the contours and segmented sections of the surfaces ‘push the envelope’, there is a perverse sense of pleasure one experiences if able to navigate those challenges successfully. Adventuresome and mentally-stimulating are appropriate terms when it comes to describing the pitching/chipping and putting experience at Dove Canyon. And with that said, the golf course demands full engagement from start to finish; it’s an exciting layout and the word ‘boring’ never comes into play. I found the elevation changes, rolling fairways, and general scope of this design quite pleasing to the eye. There are a number of excellent holes out there but it’s tough to top the dramatic tee shots you face on the Par-3 10th and 17th holes. Course conditions were very good; tees, fairways, and greens in solid shape for this time of year. Took note of a few bare spots on a couple of greens but didn’t have to deal with anything that compromised play. Rough was just long enough to create an issue but that was dependent upon the lie: if the ball sat up, not much of a problem…but a different story if it burrowed into the turf. Greens rolled at a quick pace but nothing unreasonable…especially given the contours and slopes…and were very receptive to well-struck shots. Yes, the approaches are challenging, but if you hit the mark distance-wise, the ball did settle down nicely. Bunker sand had good texture…a bit on the heavy side…along with plenty of depth, with just about all of them requiring lofted escapes as the ones I was in sat below the putting surfaces and featured steep faces. Having no previous experience at Dove Canyon, I felt I was at somewhat of a disadvantage…which wasn’t helped by a sloppy ball-striking round. But now that I’ve gotten a look at it, made some observations, and taken notes, I’m looking forward to a return at some point down the road.

Played here Monday in the Golf Moose/Vivid Golf outing run by Johnny. I was in group 1B with Johnny, Ron, and 1PLUS1, starting around 10:15 and finishing just under 5 hours later with no waiting all d... Continue »

Played here Monday in the Golf Moose/Vivid Golf outing run by Johnny. I was in group 1B with Johnny, Ron, and 1PLUS1, starting around 10:15 and finishing just under 5 hours later with no waiting all day but no one pressing us either. Excellent weather with extremely clear skies and very little wind until the last couple holes. As usual, food at Jack’s Den is tasty and well priced.

Conditions are mostly good to great with some great areas and other areas in need of some TLC. Fairways are probably the highlight, cut short with good coverage but sufficient cushion under the ball. Rough was in good condition and a little deeper than the fairways, putting a premium on keeping drives in play. White tee boxes were mostly good, although some seemed to have erratic mowing patterns – half of the ninth tee box (between the markers) was much longer grass than the other half. Bunkers were good but seemed a little wet, possibly still holding moisture from last week’s extremely heavy rainfall. Greens were mostly great – smooth, medium-fast, and accepting of full shots – although there are some dry/bare spots on a few greens that could use some attention.

The more times I play here, the more I really love the course, especially 7-18. We all had a great time. Thanks to Dove Canyon for being willing to open their doors to Golf Moose, and thanks to Vivid Golf for the great sponsorship. I helped run the putting contest and it was cool to see six people win a free polo by draining a really tough putt. If you ever get a chance to play Dove Canyon, seize it!

Was fortunate enough to get a chance to play Dove Canyon this morning in outing put on by GolfMoose in collaboration with Greenskeeper and Vivid Golf with John, Ron and Mark making sure check in went ... Continue »

Was fortunate enough to get a chance to play Dove Canyon this morning in outing put on by GolfMoose in collaboration with Greenskeeper and Vivid Golf with John, Ron and Mark making sure check in went smooth. I took part in the putting contest which was fun but did not make it in the hole on the 2 attempts. Driving range was excellent and lots of people hitting balls. There was a big water and ice station near the practice green and pro shop was open if you needed anything. I played the combo tees and played with 3 very nice people named Ryan, Richard and Kathleen and I enjoyed playing with them. All the tee boxes were outstanding, fairways were excellent and the 3 bunkers I was in, sand was great to play from. Greens were great and held shots well. At the turn we stopped at Jacks and I had a hot dog which was very good and a few beers . There was a small backup on 10 but it gave us time to eat. There are many undulations on this course and I don’t think walking would be in the cards. Anyways, saw some of my favorite friendly faces again Mark Elliott and David and Starr Bales along with some new friends that I met, overall I had a great day here at Dove Canyon. Thanks to John, Ron and Mark for all that you do for the golf community. If you have a chance to play here absolutely take advantage of it…

THANK YOU everyone that came out Monday 7-14 to Dove Canyon GC on a gorgeous day with the golf course in great shape. This was a rescheduled event from May due to conflicting events that Dove Canyon G... Continue »

THANK YOU everyone that came out Monday 7-14 to Dove Canyon GC on a gorgeous day with the golf course in great shape. This was a rescheduled event from May due to conflicting events that Dove Canyon GC handled very professionally with me and made everything right. Our group had a super time Monday and we’ll be back at Dove Canyon GC in October!

Overall lush turf with full coverage at Dove Canyon GC Monday. The greens were medium/fast running smooth with minimal ball damage and holding shots. They looked beautiful and were a pleasure to play. The greenside bunkers were all well-groomed with ample amounts of quality sand. When you play a Nicklaus Signature Designed track like Dove Canyon GC, you got to have quality bunkers because Jack is going to get you – LOL. Tee boxes all in great shape. Level, groomed and cut.

An outing day in Orange County from Ventura County is a full one for me but I have no problem booking Dove Canyon GC now 3 times a year because of the outstanding experience they provide and our group loves playing it.

Big thanks to rgm2525, sparky14 and MrKich (training) for helping out!

Highly Recommended to play or join.

Played last week in the GK/Vivid outing, 10 o'clock shotgun finishing in around 5 hours which is normal for these outings. Tee boxes were in good shape, level with good coverage, nice to hit from. Fai... Continue »

Played last week in the GK/Vivid outing, 10 o'clock shotgun finishing in around 5 hours which is normal for these outings. Tee boxes were in good shape, level with good coverage, nice to hit from. Fairways were in good condition, not overly lush but good lies and a decent amount of roll out. Rough was okay mostly cut short with an occasional thicker patch here and there. Was in three bunkers all of which were in good condition and nice to play from. Greens were in real good shape rolling medium/fast, playing semi-soft and rolling mostly true. Overall course in good shape for early summer, and worth playing if you get a chance.

I ran my lucky #7 outing at Dove Canyon Golf Club Monday and man did we luck out with the weather system deciding to come a day later than the original forecast. The day was beautiful and perfectly ti... Continue »

I ran my lucky #7 outing at Dove Canyon Golf Club Monday and man did we luck out with the weather system deciding to come a day later than the original forecast. The day was beautiful and perfectly timed as it was the debut of the Vivid Golf tent, soon to be the Vivid Golf Fun Tent at our future private course outings and GK events. Rgm2323 and I drove down from Chatsworth, leaving at 5:30am, popped into McDonalds for quick breakfast ($16? what? – my delicious signature Nicklaus wrap at the club was only $7.5), arriving at 7:30am with no traffic. Met up with Itslikeimsayin to do some video for Vivid Golf’s new Rumble Speaker while rgm2525 and sparky14 took on a full showing 123 players check-in. Thanks!

In the 7 times I’ve play Dove Canyon Golf Club, the greens are always in great shape, the fairways / rough dormant in the Winter / Spring, lush in the Summer / Fall, excellent bunkers and well-maintained tee boxes.

As for the layout, Mr. Nicklaus nailed it with this one. It’s one of the few Jack Nicklaus Signature Courses in Southern California and it’s a blast to play. I put its back-9 in my top 10 I’ve played in SoCal.

From an outing organizer’s perspective, the service is top-notch, the facilities gorgeous, exceptional driving range, delicious food (Jack’s Grill), stunning views and again a golf course our group very much enjoys playing.

Thank you everyone that plays in Greenskeeper.org events! :)

Played in group 1B of yesterday’s Vivid Golf/GK private club outing here. Gorgeous weather and great times with Johnny, Steve, and Ron. Pace was pretty typical for these events, around 5 hours from fi... Continue »

Played in group 1B of yesterday’s Vivid Golf/GK private club outing here. Gorgeous weather and great times with Johnny, Steve, and Ron. Pace was pretty typical for these events, around 5 hours from first drive to final putt. We stopped at Jack’s Den to pick up lunch and the on-cart ordering system makes it quick and easy, and the food is good and affordable. All club staff I encountered were great.

Conditions are good, highlighted by fast, firm greens. They were very smooth and quick, and even well-struck full shots took a bounce before stopping, and shorter shots and chips were very difficult to get any bite. The 8th green had some bare spots and curiously, they opted to cut the hole very near those areas. Fairways had good coverage of dormant bermuda but were thin in many spots, providing very little cushion under the ball and putting a premium on a clean strike. Rough was a little longer but not overly penal. Tee boxes and bunkers were both good, not great.

I really like how the course layout gains momentum throughout the round. The first three holes are generic, housing-tract holes (although 2 & 3 are both really tough par 4s), then the interest level amps up for the rest of the front nine. I think the course shines brightest on the back nine, though, and the whole back nine is fun and beautiful — 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18 are all standouts. All in all, a really great day and definitely recommended anytime you get a chance to play here.

I mirror Mark's review of yesterday's fun round!! He's spot on with just about everything except I would include the bunkers that I found were hard clay about an inch under the soft sand. Furthermo... Continue »

I mirror Mark's review of yesterday's fun round!! He's spot on with just about everything except I would include the bunkers that I found were hard clay about an inch under the soft sand. Furthermore, I was in a couple diabolically deep bunkers which made it impossible to get the ball up in the air quickly, ruining any chance for an up and down. Oh well, just this minor complaint. Otherwise, the course is killer!! Thanks Johnny for organizing another great day. Always great to see you.

Played here today in group 1A of the Vivid Golf/Golf Moose/GK private club outing. Great times with David and Tom! My daughter rode along as a non-playing spectator, too, which was super fun. Beautifu... Continue »

Played here today in group 1A of the Vivid Golf/Golf Moose/GK private club outing. Great times with David and Tom! My daughter rode along as a non-playing spectator, too, which was super fun. Beautiful day with hot temperatures and very little wind. POP was pretty standard for these events at around 5:00. Food from "Jack's Den" snack bar was very good and affordably priced for a high-end private club. The representative from the club who gave instructions was extremely welcoming and seemed like he was really happy to be able to host the group today, which is nice. Four holes in addition to the par 3s were CPO.

Conditions are quite good. The greens rolled smooth, medium-fast, and accepted full shots very well. They are tricky to read and some have significant slope to contend with, making putting fun. Downhillers could get sneaky fast. (Despite me saying the greens were smooth, both David and Tom had some bumpy putts.) Fairways were mostly very nice, light green bermuda with occasional brown spots here and there. Balls sat up well and the fairways provided nice lies all day. At least one hole (5, maybe others) had GUR areas staked off in the fairway. The rough seemed to be a mix of bermuda and kikuyu; not too deep but it looked like some balls could settle down in, especially in the bermuda. Blue tees were all very nice, level, and well maintained. I think I was in four bunkers and they were mostly good. In one, my ball settled into a poorly raked area that was not quite a footprint but definitely an indentation lower than the rest of the bunker.

I had played here once or twice previously many years ago but really didn't remember much except for a few holes. I really loved it today. The back nine is definitely a step up from the front. The front is good but more residential, while the back explores more natural terrain and brings in more elevation changes. (Still some houses on some holes, though.) The par-3 17th may be one of the "Most Downhill" holes I've ever played... would love to know the elevation change from tee to green. For the inexperienced, the routing seems confusing and signage is a little lacking, but I guess the only people who really need directions are unaccompanied non-members. (Hole numbers on the "Map" feature on the GPS would be helpful. Currently only the hole diagrams are there with no numbers to indicate which hole is which.) GPS was nice with yardage to the pin and the ability to order food.

Overall, an excellent day and highly recommended. Here's hoping they hold another event here soon.